Until today, all I knew of baños is that it’s the Spanish word for bathroom. But a nice hotel clerk in Latacunga, Ecuador had told me it’s also the term for hot springs. What’s more, it’s the name of an idyllic village in the central Andes famous for its thermal baths. And she suggested that the town of Baños is well worth an impromptu stopover.
As I exit the Baños bus terminal and inhale the sparkling mountain air, I’m grateful I took her advice. The sky is a sheet of indigo. Nestled against 5,014-metre Tungurahua, Ecuador’s highest volcano, the pocket-sized town is surrounded by lush emerald peaks that spill into yawning gorges. Early morning sunrays starkly illuminate the volcano’s summit, which rises above its Andean neighbours like a surfacing whale.
At this hour, the streets are nearly deserted. The few people ambling along the narrow cobblestone roadways appear to be Ecuadorian, most likely city dwellers who have come to escape the chaos of sprawling urban centres like Quito and Guayaquil. An entire family clad in beachwear is out to beat the crowds to one of the town’s four hot springs. Some yelping teenage boys zoom by in rented go-karts.
Foreign visitors are mostly Europeans, who come to take advantage of the region’s bargain-priced adventure sports. Signs nailed outside weathered adobe buildings advertise bungee jumping, rock climbing and kayaking excursions for as little as $10 American.
The town’s proximity to the Amazon jungle has earned it the nickname of “Gateway to the Amazon,” and I pass several agencies that offer jungle expeditions at a cost of $30 to $50US per day. Baños definitely gives off a touristy vibe, but it also oozes a laid-back Latin charisma that is irresistible.
I can’t wait to explore further, but first I need a hotel. My guidebook recommends the Hostal Transilvania. It’s only three blocks from the bus station, and with a name like that I just have to check it out.
Painted soft blue, the budget hotel is basic but clean, and like just about everything else in Ecuador, is muy economico. Thirteen American dollars buys me a single with private bath, free internet and continental breakfast. I have to hike five floors up to my room, but the impressive view of the Manto de la Virgen waterfall makes it worthwhile. There’s even an extensive DVD library available for guests to view in the courtyard. No vampires, however.
Aside from Spanish and English, I’m surprised to find lobby signs also posted in Hebrew. Itai, the hospitable owner, explains that he came to Baños from Israel several years ago, married an Ecuadorian, and opened this hotel. “We used to cater exclusively to Israeli tourists,” he explains, “but then we got written up in the guidebooks and….” He gives me a “there goes the neighbourhood” shrug.
Before I head out to see the sights, I lunch in the hotel’s Middle Eastern restaurant. Over pita bread and hummus, I chat with some Dutch travellers who regale me with exhilarating details of their river rafting and zip lining escapades. They also enlighten me about a unique Baños invention called puenting, which roughly translates as swinging back and forth on a bungee cord tied between two bridges. It sounds tempting, but I’m not sure if my travel insurance covers puenting-related injuries, so I decide to limit my exercise to a bit of hiking.
From the hotel, it’s a short jaunt to the vibrant central plaza, which is swarming with Bañenos. Unlike other parts of Ecuador, the inhabitants here, who are a mix of Spanish and Quichua ancestry, have foregone their traditional garments for more western-style attire. Handsome muchachos in crisp white shirts perform Latin-tinged jazz as almond-skinned schoolgirls in plaid skirts giggle beneath dazzling purple bougainvillea. Leather-skinned elderly gents in wide-brimmed cowboy hats have their boots shined as they catch up on local gossip.
Overlooking the plaza, The Basilica de la Santa Agua is dedicated to the Virgin of the Holy Water, whom citizens revere as their town protector. Constructed from black volcanic rock and flanked with identical white-roofed towers, the church is an imposing sight. Inside the ornately carved interior, patrons kneel before the sumptuously gilded front altar to pray for the Virgin’s blessing. The walls are lined with paintings that depict her saving people from fires, drowning and volcanic eruptions. Outside, a priest blesses a shiny new taxi with holy water.
A few blocks from the plaza, the Pasaje Artesanal (Artisan Market) offers an enormous array of locally produced crafts. Tourists barter for woodcarvings, silver jewelry, wool sweaters and vivid oil paintings of religious icons and gorgeous Andean panoramas. Next door, the walls of the cavernous Mercado Central echo with the din of señoras haggling over heaping tables of pungent piñas (pineapples), mouth-watering caña (sugar cane), and naranjillas, a type of bitter orange. A brawny man prepares melocha, chewy, sweet taffy made from sugar cane that he pulls by hand and then beats against a doorframe.
It’s early afternoon when I leave the mercado. As I stroll south along Moldanado Calle, I decide to take a closer look at those beckoning mountains. A refreshing mountain breeze tempers the intense afternoon sunlight.
Many of the locals I pass flash a blushing smile; a few offer a shy buenas tardes. I pass laundries, corner stores and numerous tour operators, though the people seated at them seem more focused on scanning the newspaper than drumming up business.
Moldanado soon leads into a gravelly hiking trail that snakes up a steep hillside. The wide path is well groomed, but this is by no means an easy trek. After just 10 grueling minutes, I’m treated to astonishing views of multi-coloured red-tiled roof structures that funnel down a narrow plateau. Hills dappled in every shade of green rise sharply on either side of the village. Laughter drifts up from the Piscinas Santa Clara outdoor hot springs almost directly below.
The higher I climb, the more impressive the vistas become. After an hour, I reach the appropriately named Bellavista viewpoint, where a giant white cross watches over Baños. To my relief, there’s also a snack bar. I treat myself to a refreshing batido, a Baños-style milkshake blended with yogurt and maracuya (passion fruit).
As the waning afternoon sun caresses the bottle green slope of nearby Tungurahua, it’s hard to believe I’m gazing at an active volcano. As recently as 1999 the volcano spewed ash and lava for two weeks, forcing the evacuation of most of the town’s 17,000 inhabitants. Today, thankfully, the “throat of fire,” as the Quichua call it, is resting.
Back in town, I pay a visit to the Piscina Santa Clara hot springs that spoke to me earlier. The water here is supposed to be the coolest of the town’s four thermal baths, and it’s also said to be the highest in minerals. I struggle to find any free space in either of the two pools, but when I do I’m glad I make the effort. The temperate water is the perfect cure for my throbbing muscles. When I depart an hour later, I’m completely revitalized.
All that relaxing has made me hungry, so I head to the centre in search of a restaurant. The influx of tourism has brought a myriad of excellent eateries that serve all types of exotic cuisine, including Italian, French, Greek, Thai and Indian.
I opt for the Casa Hood, named for owner Ray Hood, one of the town’s most respected gringo residents. Walls of dark bookshelves and candle-lit tables lend the place a subdued ambiance. Choices on the eclectic menu range from Vegetarian to Mexican to Middle Eastern. My burrito gigante, washed down with a couple of Ecuadorian Pilseners, sets me back all of five dollars.
By the time I meander back to my hotel, Baños nightlife is in full swing. Live folklorica (Ecuadorian folk music) spills from packed bistros known as peñas. Classic rock, salsa, and merengue blares from other watering holes. At many bars the merrymakers overflow on to the street. Another time, I would be pulled in, but it’s been a full day and I’m nearly done in. Instead, I head back to my hotel and sip Chilean wine in the quiet courtyard with a German and three Israelis.
As I wearily clamber up to my room a couple hours later, I have no idea what I’ll do the next day. Perhaps I’ll get in another hike, or maybe I’ll just walk every square inch of this enchanting pueblo. But there is one thing I do know with total certainty: I would return to Baños in a heartbeat.
GETTING THERE
Most visitors arrive via Ecuador’s reliable bus network. Coaches run daily from Quito ($3.50, 3.5 hours) and Guayaquil ($7, 7 hours), Ecuador’s two principal cities. From nearby Ambato ($.75, 1 hour) buses depart every 30 minutes. There is also frequent service to Puyo ($2, 2 hours) the first stop in the Oriente Amazon basin.
HOT SPRINGS
Baños four hot springs all have changing rooms and towels for rent. Most are fed by spring water that gurgles from the base of Volcano Tungurahua. The water in the pools appears cloudy, but that’s only because of the high concentration of chlorates, sulfates, and magnesium that feel so good on aching muscles after an arduous romp through the mountainside.
ADVENTURE
Baños is a primo destination for adventure travellers, and with prices like this it’s no wonder. Several outfitters rent mountain bikes for about $10 US per day, and will be happy to discuss specific itineraries. Check first that the equipment is properly maintained. Horseback riding enthusiasts can hire a steed for $5 US an hour or $35 per day. Local operators offer half-day river rafting excursions down the nearby Rio Patate for $30 US, snacks included. Those yearning for an up close and personal look at an active volcano may want to consider an overnight mountain climbing expedition up Tungurahua. Rates start at $120 US per person.
COURSES
Baños is a perfect spot to bone up on your Español before delving deeper into South America. Local schools offer small group or one-on-one classes. Rates start at around $5 US per hour.
PLACES TO STAY
There is an abundance of accommodations in all price ranges. Clean, basic budget rooms with private bath can be found for under $15 US per night. In the $40 US range, one can expect added touches like fireplaces, swimming pools, and free wifi. Rates tend to spike on weekends and holidays, when many places fill up. Most hotels are a short walk from the bus terminal.
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